Again, YH is going to be playing beat the clock all day. You may get another post before the day is over. Okay, okay, probably. Told you that you'd get tired of me posting.

As always - Enjoy!!!

~ ~ ~

Holiday Firsts – Part 13

Saturday, December 04, 2004 – 3:37pm, New York

“Okay, am I the only one who can’t get over the sheer size of this place?” Phoebe questioned as she walked into Pollux’s office where Prue and Piper were going to sleep on the pullout. “Ooooo, big screen television,” she grabbed the remote.Piper took another look around the room, “Apparently Paige makes lots of money.” Her eyes settled on her big sister, “Are you okay?”“She’s a Police Officer, Piper. How can I be okay?”“Prue, just because she’s a cop, doesn’t mean . . .”Prue held up a hand, “How can I stay here and take that chance? It almost killed me when Andy died. I can’t take it if my sister’s life were to be taken like Andy’s. I’ve already lost enough time with her.”Patti stepped into the room, “You’re not going to lose her, Prue.”“You can’t guarantee that! I wasn’t supposed to lose Andy, but we all see how that turned out.”Patti started to say something when the phone rang. She watched as Prue immediately tensed, waiting for the worst. A few moments later, Paige could be heard entering her office across the hall while talking on the phone, “I have those numbers right here, if you’ll just give me a minute, we can . . .”“Prue, you know you want to know her.”“She’s right, Prue,” Piper agreed with their mother. “Do you know what’s in the locked metal cases over there?”Prue nodded, “Guns,” she said quietly.Patti rubbed her back, “I’m sure Pollux will move them out of here, if you want.”Prue sighed, “Whoever invented those damn things needs to be . . . well, shot.”Phoebe started to try to comfort Prue, when Paige’s voice could be heard in the hall once again, “No problem, Mr. Vance. You know you can call here anytime,” Paige was moving into the living room, having heard the elevator doors open.Phoebe looked at Prue, “How long does it take to question somebody on what they saw?”Prue shrugged, “Varies. I got the impression she was going to them instead of them being brought to the station. And if she got a lead, she would have . . .”“What?!?!?” Paige’s voice echoed from the living room.

Pollux sighed and headed towards the kitchen, “Calm down, Paige. This happens to everybody.” Pollux dropped the bulletproof vest just inside the kitchen door and proceeded to the liquor cabinet.Paige looked around and made sure nobody was around them, “You were shot,” she hissed.“It hit the vest . . . the vest did it’s job.”“Look, I’m no detective and I realize that some sadistic asshole is luring you guys into traps. You’re taking leave.”“No, I’m not.”“Pollux . . .”“Paige, this is my job. It comes with dangers. I can’t quit just because . . .”“Is everything alright?” Patti ventured as she entered the kitchen with Prue, Piper, and Phoebe behind her.“Everything is fine,” Pollux said calmly as she took a drink and pulled the pack of cigarettes out of her pocket. “Depends on your definition of fine,” Paige countered as she grabbed the pack out of Pollux’s hand and threw them in the trash, “You’re done with those again.”Pollux took another drink, “Alright, no more cigarettes. You need to calm down.”“You need to take vacation time.”“Paige . . .” Pollux warned as she looked towards her Mother and sisters.Paige shook her head, “So serious. I will not . . .”“This is useless now,” Prue said quietly, having picked up the vest Pollux had dropped earlier.Pollux shook her head, “Its fine. That’s the way it’s supposed . . .”“Her late husband was an officer,” Paige supplied.“Late?”Patti nodded, “He was shot while on duty.”“So was Pollux,” Prue looked up at her baby sister.“What?!?” Patti glared at Prue.Prue extended the vest towards her mother, “They were aiming for her heart.”Pollux held up her hands, “Really not as bad as you’re think . . .”“Hospital?”“Okay, see that is procedure. They just wanted to check me . . .” Pollux stopped as Paige maneuvered in front of her, unbuttoned the top two buttons of Pollux’s shirt, and moved the left side back. “Can I help you?”“Oh my God!”“Paige, it’s going to bruise. Think about it for just one . . .”“It’s bruised the entire top left side of your chest!”“Bullets are designed to do damage.”“You need off this case, now!”“And what?!?!? . . . Let one of my friends get shot when they take it over? I can’t live with that on my conscious. Don’t ask me.”“I’m not asking, I’m telling.”“No.”Paige shook her head, “What are you going to do? Your vest is useless.”“They’re ordering me a new one and they have a spare for me to use until then.”“The one they’re ordering . . . is it top of the line? Is it the best that money can buy?”“It’s middle of the line.”“Can you get a top of the line one?”Pollux nodded, “Yes, but I have to pay the difference betw . . .”Paige thrusts the phone in her hand, “Call them. Make it top of the line. Make it maximum protection. You will wear it! No arguments, no discussions, just do it.”Pollux sighed and began dialing, “Big deal out of . . .”“Also, you haven’t slept since Thursday! Do they know this?”“Original plan, Paige. Except now they’re only calling me if it’s about the case, which we expect the guy to lay low and regroup since his plan to hurt me failed. So they’re only calling me with evidence. I’m only going in when I’m absolutely needed. And I have an additional day off. I don’t have to be back until Midnight Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.”“Good! You need sleep. After the call, will you please take a nap?”Pollux rolled her eyes, “Fine,” she mumbled as she headed out of the room with the phone.After she was gone, Paige took a deep breath and looked at her newfound family, “Sorry we were fighting, it’s just . . .”“No need to apologize,” Prue defended. “You were absolutely in the right.”Paige smiled, “Thank you.”Prue moved to Paige and ventured to hug her, “I thought I was coming to help Pollux through her boyfriend getting shot . . . I think I have another purpose.”Paige held tight to Prue, “Thank you.” She pulled back and looked at everyone else in the room. Paige laughed a bit, “You know I didn’t think I’d be hugging you the first day.”Patti took Paige out of Prue’s embrace, “Well, this is a good thing, not a bad one.”Paige nodded, and stayed still a moment. Finally she exhaled, and pulled back, “Well, I was going to take you guys out and show you some Christmas sights in the city, but Pollux . . . well, Pollux went and got herself shot.”Patti laughed a bit, “Yeah she did.”Paige immediately looked at Prue, “Sorry. I didn’t . . .”Prue smiled and shook her head, “It’s okay. Have you got an ice pack?”Paige nodded, “Drawer next to the sink.” Prue found it and started filling it with ice. While Prue was in the freezer, Piper opened the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. “Hey, you’ve got lots of good food in here,” she said surprised.Paige nodded, “Pollux can cook. I was going to have her make dinner before we went out.”“Well, how about I make dinner and we stay in, instead?” Piper smiled.“I hate to ask you.”“Piper loves to cook,” Phoebe offered. “She’s a professional chef.”Paige smiled, “Really?”Piper nodded, “Fresh stuff,” she commented as she began inspecting a clove of garlic.Paige nodded, “She knows what she’s looking for.”Phoebe perked up, “So how about we let Piper cook, have a good dinner here, sit around and get to know each other?”“That works. Sorry we can’t go out,” Paige offered.“It’s okay, Sweetie,” Patti squeezed her tighter. “Are there any decorations you haven’t placed?”“A few. And we were going to wait for the tree for awhile, but I can send Pollux . . . wait, no I can’t.”“How about we finish up with the decorating here tonight and we’ll see some sights tomorrow and over the next few weeks . . . and we’ll all go and pick out a tree together in a few days?” Patti suggested.Paige nodded, “I just wanted everything to be perfect. I was going to get some show tickets and stuff for the next couple of weeks and everything. I just . . .”Patti hugged her again, “It is perfect, Darling. We’re here with you and your sister and we’re never going to be out of each other’s lives again.”Paige smiled at the thought and Prue stepped forward. She extended the ice pack to Paige, “It’ll help keep the swelling down. Truth is, it probably hurts her pretty bad.”“You think it does?” Paige asked quietly.“Let me put it this way. It happens to everybody,” Prue sighed.“I wish she would find a new job,” Paige admitted. She looked at Prue, “Would you like to take it to her?”“I’m not sure I can.”Patti took the ice pack, “How about I try this and you all go with me?”The girls nodded their agreement and Paige led the way to Pollux’s bedroom.

Pollux stepped out of the bathroom and found herself being stared out, “Oh – kay. What’s going on?”Patti smiled, “Lay down, please.”Pollux raised an eyebrow, “Um . . .”Patti sighed. Pollux was her daughter, but she had been out of her life for so long. She knew this was going to be difficult, but she was determined to find a way to be Paige’s and Pollux’s mother – like she should have been for a long time. “Pollux, I would like to have my first motherly act with you in twenty-four years. Please lay down.”Pollux sighed and laid on the bed. Patti smiled and moved to the side of the bed and gently sat down. Prue spoke up from the door, “Bend her arm at the elbow, lay it across her stomach.”Patti nodded and did as Prue suggested. Prue sighed, stepped in, and put a pillow on her stomach and Pollux’s arm on the pillow. She then stepped back. Patti waited until she was done then looked at Pollux, “It’s just ice.”Pollux nodded as Patti moved her shirt back a bit. Patti gingerly touched the wound, managing to keep it together. Piper held Prue’s hand. Patti place a thin towel on top of Pollux’s wound, then placed the ice pack on top. Pollux pulled in her breath a bit, “Cold.”“I think that’s the point,” Patti smiled. “Now, Piper is going to cook . . .”“I was going to . . .”“Piper is going to cook while you sleep. We’ll have some dinner, and then get to know each other better. Okay?”Pollux sighed and relented. She closed her eyes and tried to drift off to sleep. Patti ushered the rest of the girls out of the room, and sat quietly by Pollux while she slept. End part 13

This is me posting for Youngest Halliwell. Holiday Firsts - Part 14 Thu Dec 9, 2004 6:17pm 68.187.212.161 Alright guys, YH owes you a big apology. I know I said everyday, sometimes twice a day and I... more

This is me posting for Youngest Halliwell. Holiday Firsts - Part 15 Fri Dec 10, 2004 8:59pm 68.187.212.161 Okay guys, a little short, but I'll do better tomorrow. Had to get it in today . . . and... more

This is me posting for Youngest Halliwell. Holiday Firsts - Part 16 Sat Dec 11, 2004 8:52pm 24.68.3.90 I really got to stop trying to beat this clock. Lacorra and Teeny, I most humbly dedicate this... more

This is me posting for Youngest Halliwell. Holiday Firsts - Part 17 Mon Dec 13, 2004 6:14pm 68.187.212.161 Hey guys, is a little short, but believe it or not another part may be possible before the... more